“I saw how much value was just sitting in data – and not being used”
For Janice Liu, launching Mantis Group wasn’t just about innovation, it was about transformation. As a seasoned executive with a media background, she saw a persistent challenge holding back some of the most forward-thinking brands: the inability to convert their mountains of first-party data into tangible business outcomes.
Today, as the CEO of Mantis Group, Liu leads a data commercialization and marketing transformation consultancy that helps companies rethink how they use data, from a liability into a revenue-generating engine.
“Our mission is to make data work harder for business – and do it responsibly”
Based in Toronto with reach across North America, Mantis Group works with Fortune 500s, marketing agencies, and forward-looking companies in sectors like retail, finance, and adtech. Their offering spans four pillars: data readiness, monetization, product innovation, and go-to-market disruption.
At its core, the firm focuses on building privacy-compliant foundations, then transforming that structured data into usable, monetizable products, whether through licensing, AI use, or innovative customer experiences.
Liu’s approach is deeply rooted in ethics. “Everything we do is aligned with PIPEDA, GDPR, and evolving U.S. data laws,” she explains. “You can innovate without compromising trust.”
“Success requires aligning marketing, tech, and legal – before the strategy even begins”
Introducing a new category like data commercialization doesn’t come without hurdles. Liu quickly learned that many organizations are intrigued by the idea, but aren’t prepared to activate it. Siloed teams, legacy systems, and unclear ownership of data often create roadblocks.
Instead of pushing solutions, she focused on education. “We had to become storytellers,” Liu says. “Helping clients understand that first-party data isn’t just useful, it’s an asset.”
It’s this blend of technical strategy and cross-functional empathy that has made Mantis Group an early leader in the space.
“From concept to trusted partner – within our first year”
Despite being a relatively young company, Mantis Group has already delivered impact for major clients including Publicis Media, Flight Centre, and TorStar. Whether helping a brand license its data to partners or building AI-driven analytics tools, the goal is the same: use data to drive revenue, not just reports.
Liu is particularly proud that this success was built by a fully BIPOC leadership team, an intentional decision to promote representation in a sector where it’s still lacking.
“We’re launching products that rewrite the rules of data-driven marketing”
The next chapter for Mantis Group includes two major product launches.
First is a marketing analytics solution that uses AI to predict channel performance and guide real-time investment. Unlike traditional media mix models, this tool is cloud-agnostic, privacy-first, and ready for the modern marketing ecosystem.
The second is a generative AI product that streamlines agency responses to RFIs and RFPs, an area ripe for efficiency, consistency, and compliance gains.
Both solutions reinforce Mantis Group’s mission to offer not just consulting, but scalable tools that drive measurable business value.
“I didn’t come from tech – I came from media”
Liu’s path to tech leadership wasn’t linear. Starting her career in media, she developed an eye for storytelling, brand-building, and audience behavior. It wasn’t until she stepped into roles that blended marketing and data that she saw the full potential of data as a strategic asset.
“I didn’t have a technical background,” she shares, “but I had the curiosity and drive to bridge the gap between creativity and analytics.”
It’s that unique lens, part strategist, part translator, that’s helped her lead a company at the intersection of AI, privacy, and business growth.
“We want to build systems that are future-ready, ethical, and inclusive”
Beyond product launches and client growth, Liu is focused on values. Her ambition is to see Mantis Group become North America’s go-to name in data commercialization, but not at any cost.
For Liu, the future of data is about more than dashboards. “We believe data should create value for everyone, businesses, customers, and society.”
That mindset has shaped everything from internal hiring to client strategy. “I want our work to prove that ethical, inclusive data innovation isn’t just possible. It’s more effective.”
“This is the moment to use data better – and do it right”
With AI transforming every industry and privacy regulations tightening, Liu believes Mantis Group is at the right place at the right time.
“We’re sitting on the edge of a new era,” she says. “One where data is no longer just tracked and stored, but productized, commercialized, and designed to empower smarter decisions.”
It’s a bold vision. But for someone who’s already built one of the region’s most promising data consultancies from scratch, it’s also entirely within reach.
